Drain Technician / Plumbing Assistant
Benefits:
Company car
Competitive salary
Dental insurance
Free uniforms
Health insurance
Opportunity for advancement
Paid time off
Training & development
Vision insurance
Real Training • Clear Career Path
A Job That Can Become a Career
We're looking to hire someone who wants to learn the plumbing trade. This isn't just a helper job – it's a legitimate pathway to becoming a licensed plumber.
We're not the biggest plumbing company in town, but we're growing fast and we treat our people right. No corporate bureaucracy, no being just another number. Your ideas matter here, and you'll have a real voice in how we do things.
Here's the reality: drain work and assisting plumbers isn't glamorous. You'll be in crawl spaces, dealing with clogs, carrying heavy equipment, and working hard. But if you're willing to do that work and learn while you're doing it, we can help you build a real career in a trade that's always going to be in demand.
What We Pay & What You Get
Hourly Rate: $22-28 depending on experience Earning Potential: This increases as you learn and take on more responsibility
The Career Path (This is Important)
This is where working as a drain technician and plumbing assistant is different from most laborer jobs. Your experience here directly helps you get into Oregon's plumbing apprenticeship programs (JATC).
The Timeline:
Right Now: Learn drain cleaning, assist plumbers, build documented experience
After 6-12 Months: Apply to JATC with our documented hours and recommendations from our licensed plumbers
During Apprenticeship: Four-year program, starting at 45% journeyman wage, increasing every six months
End Result: Oregon Journeyman Plumber License, earning $80,000-150,000+
We document your hours, our plumbers provide recommendations, and we're working toward JATC training agent status so we can sponsor apprentices directly. Your work experience ranks you higher on JATC eligibility lists and can earn you credit toward apprenticeship time.
Why This Opportunity is Different
Your Voice Actually Matters As a woman-owned business, I know what it's like to not always be heard in this industry. That's not how we operate. We want team members who think, who have ideas, and who want to help build something. Even as someone new to the trade, your observations and questions matter.
Real Training, Not Just Labor Our journeyman plumbers have 15-30 years in the trade and genuinely love teaching. This isn't some corporate "training program" where you just carry things. It's real, hands-on learning from people who know their stuff and actually want to teach you.
Room to Grow We're not set in our ways. We're figuring it out as we go, and we want people who want to grow with us – from drain tech to apprentice to journeyman, or finding your niche along the way.
What You'd Actually Be Doing
Drain Work (40% of your time):
Running drain snakes and cleaning equipment
Camera inspections of sewer lines
Hydro-jetting when needed
Diagnosing drain issues and determining when a problem requires a plumber's attention
Cleaning up after jobs
Maintaining drain cleaning equipment
Assisting Plumbers (40% of your time):
Helping with water heater installations
Carrying tools and materials
Digging, demolition work when needed
Learning residential service plumbing
Preparing job sites and cleaning up
Assisting with repiping projects
Sales and Customer Communication (20% of your time):
Learning sales techniques from experienced plumbers
Explaining drain cleaning work to customers
Helping customers understand pricing and options
Selling drain cleaning jobs you're qualified to handle
Building customer relationships and trust
What We Need From You
Required:
18 years or older
Valid driver's license and clean driving record
High school diploma or GED
Able to lift 50+ pounds regularly
Comfortable working in tight spaces, crawl spaces, and attics
Okay with getting dirty and working physically hard
Professional with customers
Pass a background check
Strongly Desired:
Experience operating drain cleaning equipment (snakes, cable machines, hydro-jetters, camera systems)
Also Helpful:
Construction or trades work
General plumbing helper experience
Mechanical aptitude or working with tools
Customer service experience
Anything that shows you can do physical work and learn on the job
What Actually Matters:
You show up on time and work hard
You want to learn and don't need hand-holding for everything
You can be professional in customers' homes
You're okay with work that's sometimes uncomfortable or unpleasant
You're thinking about this as a career, not just a paycheck
This franchise is independently owned and operated by a franchisee. Your application will go directly to the franchisee, and all hiring decisions will be made by the management of this franchise. All inquiries about employment at this franchisee should be made directly to the franchise location, and not to bluefrog Plumbing + Drain Corporate.